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| A woman cries during a ceremony in Toronto for the 57 Canadians killed when a Ukrainian airliner crashed in Iran (AFP Photo/Geoff Robins) |
Toronto (Canada) (AFP) - Thousands of people attended vigils Sunday in Canada for the 57 Canadian victims of the Ukrainian airliner crash in Iran, most of them from the Iranian community.
Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau told a memorial event in Edmonton that "this
tragedy struck our Iranian-Canadian community, leaving cities like Edmonton
reeling, but this was truly a Canadian tragedy."
"We
want to assure all families and all Canadians that we will not rest until there
are answers," he said. "We will not rest until there is justice and
accountability."
Six
university students were killed when the Ukraine International Airlines flight
crashed on January 8, shortly after takeoff from Tehran's airport.
All 176
people aboard were killed, 57 of whom were Canadian, many of them dual Iranian
nationals.
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A woman
weeps during a memorial service at the University of Toronto (AFP
Photo/Geoff
Robins)
|
Iran has
since admitted the airliner was mistakenly shot down by Iranian missiles.
At a
ceremony at the University of Toronto, many of those who had been close to the
victims expressed their grief and anger.
"It's
a story that resonates with the people, these immigrants with a lot of hopes
and dreams. They worked super hard, they were high achievers and they get here
only to be shot down in the middle of the air," said Ali Esnaashani.
"I'm
angry, I'm sad," the 30-year-old told AFP. "But I also feel inspired
to see the community come together like this."
On stage,
Mehrdad Ariannejad, head of the Canadian-Iranian cultural dialogue nonprofit
Tirgan, began to cry during his speech.
"Shock
has given way to grief and increasingly anger," he said.
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Deputy
Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland speaks during a memorial ceremony in
Toronto
for the Canadian victims of the Ukraine International Airlines crash (AFP
Photo/Geoff Robins)
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"We
must demand justice from the Islamic Republic authorities and demand answers
and compensation for the negligence and lack of regard for human life that has
led to this tragedy."
Canada is
home to a major Iranian diaspora. In 2016, 210,000 Canadians claimed Iranian
origins, according to official figures.
Half of
them live in Toronto, which has one of the most significant Iranian communities
in North America after Los Angeles.
Hola, 50,
who knew one of the victims, could not hold back her tears. "I'm happy
that the Canadian government promised to follow through and find justice for
these people, for the families and loved ones," she said.
"Nothing
will ever replace these brilliant lives that have been cut short," said
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland in Toronto. "We will always
bear these scars."
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